Vegan Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Name: Vegan Zucchini Boats
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3-4 medium zucchini (about 6-8 inches long); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon fennel; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more for extra spice); 2 cups cooked lentils (or any other vegan protein of choice); 1 cup pizza sauce; 1 cup vegan pizza cheese sauce

by Monica on August 24, 2025 0 comments

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These vegan lentil-stuffed zucchini boats make eating zucchini fun. This low-carb, high-protein, gluten-free meal is packed with nutrients, yet it’s delicious and fun for the whole family.

Vegan zucchini boats on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

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Why make this recipe

These plant-based, pizza-flavored zucchini boats are a great way to get your kids eating zucchini. You can use lentils like I did, or swap the lentils for chickpeas, vegan beef crumbles, seitan-based sausage, or tofu sausage instead.

Ingredients and substitutions

Zucchini – You will need about 3 medium zucchinis, about 8 inches long. You don’t want them too big, or they will have large seeds in the middle. If they are too small, it is hard to scrape out the insides, and they are too small to stuff.
Onion – for flavor. (optional)
Garlic – for flavor.
Italian Seasoning – for flavor.
Fennel – Optional for flavor.
Cooked Lentils/ Protein – You will need 2 cups of cooked lentils; you can cook them yourself or use canned or precooked lentils. (Trader Joe’s sells precooked lentils in the refrigerated vegetable section and canned lentils next to the canned beans.) You can also use 2 cups of chickpeas, vegan beef crumbles, vegan sausage, diced up small, or tofu sausage.
Pizza Sauce – This gives them a pizza flavor. You can also swap this for marinara sauce.
Vegan Cheese – I like to use my vegan pizza cheese sauce for this, but you can also simply top the zucchini boats with any vegan cheese.

Helpful tools

Baking sheet – or an oven-safe baking dish.
Parchment Paper – to line the baking sheet for easy clean up.

How to make vegan stuffed zucchini boats

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). If using pizza cheese sauce, make it now and set it aside.

Step 2 – Prep the Zucchini – Wash the zucchini and slice them in half the long way. Cut a border around the zucchini about 1/4 inch in from the edge. With a spoon, scrape out the inside of the zucchini and place the scrapings in a small bowl. Chop it up into small pieces and sprinkle it with salt, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Step 3 – Place your zucchini halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Then bake the empty zucchini halves for 15 minutes at 425° F (218° C).

Zucchini with the middle scraped out being brushed with olive oil. — Brush the zucchini with oil.

Onions, garlic, and chopped zucchini sauteing in a pan being stirred with a wooden spoon. — Brush the zucchini with oil.

Step 4 – While the zucchini is baking, saute a diced onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, and fennel. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.

Step 5 – While the onions are cooking, place the scraped zucchini filling in a cheese cloth or a thin, clean tea towel and squeeze out the excess liquid, then add it to the pan with the onions and saute for 3-4 more minutes.

Lentils added the the onions and zucchini in a frying pan. — Add the lentils and stir.

Pizza sauce added to the lentils before stuffing into the zucchini boats. — Add the lentils and stir.

Step 6 – Add 2 cups of cooked lentils (or other vegan protein of choice) and 1 cup of pizza sauce. Stir well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes.

Filling the zucchini boats with the lentil pizza mixture. — Fill the boats with the lentil mixtures.

Topping the vegan zucchini boats with vegan pizza cheese sauce. — Fill the boats with the lentil mixtures.

Step 7 – Once the zucchini has baked for 15 minutes, take them out of the oven and fill them with the lentil mixture. Top with vegan pizza cheese sauce or vegan mozzarella and place back into the oven at 425° F (218° C) for 20 more minutes. Serve warm.

Pro Tips

Use a sharp paring knife to cut an outline around the zucchini where you want to scoop out the middle.
Be sure to leave about 1/4 inch of the zucchini for the boat. You don’t want it to get too thin, or it will fall apart.
If the zucchini has big seeds, you can discard them. Don’t use the seeds in your filling.
If cooking your own lentils, boil 1 1/4 cups of green lentils in salted water for 18 minutes, then drain and rinse.

Vegan lentil stuffed zucchini topped with melty vegan cheese on a sheet pan.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: These lentil-stuffed zucchini boats will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container. I don’t recomend freezing them, since they will not hold their shape well after freezing.

Reheating: Reheat the vegan zucchini boats in the microwave for about 2 minutes or until warm.